Gauze-dam surgical instrument.



W. L. BELL.

GAUZE DAM SURGICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14. 1911.

1,275,520. Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

l X X 6 U I l g 2 WITNESS: INVENTOR.

22 WilliamLBeLL.

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WILLIAM I1. BELL, OF SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA.

GAUZE-DAM SURGICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

Application filed June 14,1917. Serial No. 174,713.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VVILLIAM L. BELL, a citizen of the United States, and a'resident of the city and county of Santa Cruz, State of California, have made a new and useful inventionto wit, Gauze-Dam Surgical Instruments; and I do hereby declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates particularly to gauze dams for controlling'the internal organs during abdominal operations, to avoid the necessity of packing the cavity with gauze, sponges and the like, to prevent the obtrusion of surrounding organs interfering with the field of surgical operation.

In this specification and the annexed drawings the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such form because it may be embodied in other forms, and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description it is desired to cover the invention in whatever form it may be embodied. V In the accompanying one sheet of draw- 1ng:

Figure 1 is a plane view from above of a surgical instrument constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the spreader, the gauze bag being omitted.

It is the particular function of this instrument in abdominal surgery, to provide a fiat' wall or dam for holding back the intestines within the abdominal cavity after the incision is made, to provide an unobstructed cavity surrounding the determined field of operation.

Y The construction illustrated in the drawings includes:

A spreader composed of a pair of handles 1 and 2, havin overlapping mortised lugs joined by a plvot pin 3 passing freely through one of said lugs and screwed into the other. The pin 3 is provided with the enlarged knurled head 4 to facilitate assembling of the instrument. These handles preferably terminate in the loop finger grips 1' and 5 for handling the instrument. On

1 the opposite side of the pivotal point the practice.

tensions 6 and 7, in practice extending about six or seven inches. These extensions are bent down at an angle of about 20 degrees from the plane of the handles, as shown in Fig. 2. The extensions 6 and 7 are approximated or closed by spreading the grips 4: and 5; the jaws 6 and 7 are spread by the reverse action of the grips 4: and 5 and are held in the closed or spread position by the spring detent 8, preferably forming a continuation of the loop 5 and provided with the notches 9 engaging the bent over end 10 of the loop 4'. In the retracted position the end 10 engages the notch 11 to hold the jaws 7 and 6 together. The detent 8 can be disengaged by pressure downward on the end 12 thereof.

This instrument is used in combination with a bag like covering of sterile gauze 13, formed of a double thickness of gauze stitched on the opposite edges 14 and 15 and open along the selvage edge 16, or otherwise cut and formed most economically with respect to the consumption of gauze. The retracted aws 6v and 7 of the instrument are then inserted through the opening of the apex of the bag at 17. The bag 15 is then wrapped about the retracted jaws to form as compact a mass as possible for insertion through incision. When properly inserted up to approximately the pivotal point 3, the grip 4 and 5 are compressed extending the jaws 6 and 7 and pulling the bag taut when arrested by the edges 14 and 15. The instrument is automatically locked in the extended position by the engagement of the end 10 with the notches 9 in the detent 8. The handle portionl and 2 of the instrument is then manipulated by an attendant to accomplish the function of the instrument as previously described. When the opera tion is complete the finger grip 4 and 5 are separated which retracts the jaws 6 and 7 within the bag, which is then removed with the spreader.

By the use of this instrument many yards of gauze pack are saved in the performance of an operation in accordance with surgical the gauze bag is obviously superior to the packing of the cavity to perform the same function. The use of this instrument also obviates the danger of leaving gauze,

The use of this instrument with sponges and the like within the cavity after the operation is completed and the incision stitched.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A surgical instrument including a spreader having two jaws joined by a pivot; a gauze member attached to said spreader; a notched detent formed integral with one of said jaws and engaging said other jaw.

2. A surgical instrument including a pivoted spreader, and a gauze member attached to said spreader.

3. A surgical instrument including a spreader consisting of pivoted jaws and a gauze member attached to said spreader.

4. A surgical instrument including a pivoted spreader, a gauze member attached to said spreader, and means for holding said spreader in the extended position and said gauze taut.

5. A surgical instrument including two jaws joined by a pivot; a detent engaging said jaws; anda gauze member extending between said jaws.

6. A surgical instrument including a gauze bag substantially triangular in plan and means for extending said bag taut.

7. A surgical instrument including a pivoted spreader, handles on said spreader at an angle to said spreader; and a gauze member attached to said spreader.

8. A surgical instrument including a pivoted spreader; handles on said spreader at an angle to said spreader, a gauze member attached to said spreader; and means for holding said spreader in the extended position and said gauze taut.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 4th day of June, 1917.

WILLIAM L. BELL.

In presence of BALDWIN VALE, A. .J. HENRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing vthe Commissioner 41! Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

